Tecnical support: Element: Gravity Support: Tar Accessibility: Hard Risk: Very high Feeling: Snowboard on road Spot: Steep mountain road Speed max: 60mp/h Goal: Boarder/ Hairpin

Video: 50mp/h on the road with cars!!!

We put plastic pad inside the hand. Like this, you can lean on your hand in case you loose balance.	Everyone had seen a longskate in the street of their town. But some of us are using their longskate on the steep road of mountains too. But it's much rarer. It's a dangerous gravity sport and riders know them self that if they are crazy, they won't stay alive 5 years. And some of them understand, after a short "trip in emergency" that downhill longskating is a serious sport where you need lot of concentration, training and technique. Imagine, going down on a road on your skate over 50mp/h. But we don't use traditional longskate. I started downhill longskate or classic skate in 2001. At this time I was riding the steep road of mountains on my inline roller blade. I love snowboarding, and when I saw them leaning in the corner with front or backside position, I wanted to try. I stopped inline skating, bough a lonsgkate, train and start to race few months later. One year after, David, boss from sk8up boards, was sponsoring me.
Leather jacket in case of crach...it happen very often.	Bad meeting with a wall in 2002. plate/ screws and back on the skate.	Warming up for all the riders before the first training.

My sk8up downhill board. A real jet.	Shaping and making downhill boards is pretty tough. Some riders are making their own boards, but most of them buy their board in the shop. The difference with traditional longskate board is the rigidity. Downhill boards have to be very hard, otherwise, over 40mp/h you will be in trouble with the flex of the board. Riders don't use the same wheels; you can get different brand, size, hard or soft...etc. Even trucks are different. It depends on your ride style, technique. My trucks are home made from my step father company. AVT is the name of the trucks. It should be in the shop soon.
Recto/ Verso...Hawaiin style. Thanks David for your shapes.	Boards look like the same, but they are all different to ride.	µ My AVT trucks home made with floatting axes for more speed.

The most famous shuss position.	How to ride? Downhill longskating in not "easy" like streetluging or others gravity sports. It takes many years, training and wipe out to improve your technique and engagement. You have to be very patient before you can go on the steep road with cars. The shuss position. They are many shuss positions, but most of the riders use the same position like you see on the picture. It's really hard and tiring to keep this position because all your weight is one your front legs. When you want to stop or slow down, there are many possibilities. You can make a reverse or slide. You bend your knees, grad the board with your back hand and turn your hip very quickly to put your board across the road and slide. This is the backside reverse. You can make front side reverse, 360°, reverse 1 hand...etc. Or there is the droop foot. That the technique we use during competition. When you want to stop or slow down, you stand up and you're going to put one of your foot on the road to slow down. For sure, this position is very instable.
Backside turn. I stick my ankle on the board and grab with my back hand.	Frontside, hand on the road for a better balance.	"Adri l'aspi" making his drop foot before the haipin.

IGSA World Cup in San Diego. I finished 4.	The rules? There is a downhill French Federation for gravity sports. There is a French Cup with 5 or 6 events everywhere in France during the summer. We also have an international circuit: IGSA (International Gravity Sports Association) with lot of contest in USA, Brazil, Sweden, South Africa and Europe. This is the official competitions. There are also lot of non official competition too. If you want to race, you have to pay an enter fee and you must have a leather jacket, helmet and back protection for racing. You need a licence for the official events.
Trophies and presents for the winners.	2004. I finished 3 of the French Cup.	2006. Izoard pass. One of the best race.

We are waiting for the starter's order.	It takes 2 days to organize an event. Trainings and qualifications the first day, and the boarders the second day. During the qualifications, they keep your best time. If you are in the top 32, you are going to fight, otherwise; No!!! After that, they make 8 heats with 4 riders each time. The starter is giving the start:" riders ready? In the 5 seconds (he has 5 seconds to say go)...GO!!! Sited on your luge, you push with your hands to take some speed. The 2 first riders of each heat are qualifying for the next round until the final. I say fighting when you race, but they are rules. You cannot change your trajectory to cross others riders way, and you cannot make "crazy attack". Judges and usually riders check out the rules them self.
You have to push very hard to be the first one in the hairpin.	How to go back up? Easy, big trailer. Switzerland World Cup 2004.	This rider behind me already dive inside the turn. I'm too late. I'm "dead".